The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The former Chornobyl clean-up workers on hunger strike in the park opposite the Cabinet of Ministers deny reports that they have come to some kind of agreement with the Pension Fund. One of the protesters, Mykola Kostyev told UNIAN that nobody from the government had come out to them at all nor tried to hold negotiations.

Mr Kostyev said that 10 of the Chornobyl clean-up workerson hunger strike had in the morning on Thursday been taken away for treatment since their state of health had deteriorated radically. He said that he was also stopping his hunger strike and going for treatment since his temperature had risen to 40 and he could scarcely speak.

Mr Kostyev did not specify where his colleagues had gone for treatment but stressed that none of the National Deputies or other politicians were helping them. He said that National Deputies from different parties came up throughout the day yet not one has helped with resolving the issue on setting up a tent. At present the protesters’ application for permission to set up a tent is with the Kyiv City State Administration, but there has been no decision.

Mr Kostyev said that the protesters are not planning to stop their hunger strike and that more and more people are coming to support them. At present in the Mariyinsky Park about 30 former Chornobyl clean-up workers are on hunger strike.

Earlier in the day a Ministry of Internal Affairs source claimed that 12 Chornobyl clean-up workers from the Luhansk region had expressed the wish to return home after a meeting with representatives of the Pension Fund.